Favorite .357 Mag loads?

[Crazy Carl]

As I'm gonna be ramping up for making me some .41, I need to get off my duff & start loading for my 6.5" .357 Blackhawk. Extremely accurate with factory 110, 125 & 158gr ammo & just a pleasure to shoot, even with full house loads. Was amazed that factory Rem 125gr SJHP clocked 1675 - 1700 fps out of 'er.

All that said, I've worked up a few standard loads for the .41 & .45 ACP, I've never loaded for .357. I've got both 140 & 158gr FTXs, 158 & 170gr LSWC & some Rem 180gr SJHP. Powders on hand include H110, 2400, Unique, W231 & maybe some IMR4227. Any favorite recipes for both plinkers & hunters? Would love to work up a stiff 180gr load to potentially hunt deer with, though I'm thinking the either of the FTXs over a max load of H110 ought to make a damned fine deer slayer as well.

Any of y'all shoot silhouette or to/past 50 yds? What kinda load would you recommend to work on my fundamentals & start stretching my pistol skills out to 50 yrds?

Any & all tips, tricks & favorite recipes are welcome.

 

[Tailhunter]

I have a NOE 180 grain mold that I use for the .357. Shoots well and packs a punch.

Killed deer with it last year.

 

[Crazy Carl]

What powder & charge?

 

[Tailhunter]

Books are in the reloading barn. Get that for you tomorrow. Pretty sure it is Alliant 2400.

 

[Crazy Carl]

Nice. 2400 seems to be a go-to powder for both the .357 & .41. I've got a couple pounds on hand, but on the lookout for more.

 

[Tailhunter]

Great for 44 mag too.

 

[chiefjason]

You're not going to stretch mine out. But I'm running a 158 gr lead round nose over 4.1 gr Unique in 38 special brass for my snubby. Sure is a fun range load. Even out of the little gun.

 

[Wahoo95]

Anyone load 125gr with Blue Dot?

 

[Mattyb]

I could not get blue dot to shoot all that well in my .357.

 

[spittinfire]

I've gotten to the place where I load 357s almost exclusively with H110 and I'm very happy with the results. I like 158gr for pistols and I think my plinking loads are somewhere around 15-15.gr(I'd have to check that at home).

 

[twofocused]

Anyone load 125gr with Blue Dot?

I had a horrible go with blue dot and a 158gr pill. It didn't meter well and was crazy inconsistent. Oh well.

For a non barn burner 6 grains of unique is so nice if you don't mind how dirty unique is.

 

[Tailhunter]

Anyone load 125gr with Blue Dot?

I really like blue dot.

 

[Tailhunter]

That grain count on 2400 was 12.

You know how the disclaimer reads.